Down Royal five-timer on a spectacular weekend for Gordon Elliott Gordon Elliott enjoyed another good day at the office as the trainer claimed the first five races at Down Royal. Elliott arrived on a high having sent out six winners at the track on Friday and he picked up where he left off in the opening Lisburn And Castlereagh City Council 3-Y-O Hurdle, with Jack Kennedy and 1-4 favourite Wodhooh hitting the target. The filly is a former Flat performer and has won twice over hurdles since joining Elliott from Sir Michael Stoute, with this success likely to lead to a step up in grade. Elliott said: “She’s tough and he (Kennedy) said it probably would have suited more if they had gone faster. He said he was kind of on his own in front and she was looking around her. “She’s tough, she has won three now and she hasn’t done anything wrong. “She will probably go to Newbury now for the Listed hurdle on December 2.” Next was the turn of Down Memory Lane, a JP McManus-owned five-year-old who had a point-to-point and a bumper victory under his belt as he came into his hurdles debut the 2-7 favourite. Under Derek O’Connor, the gelding won by three lengths despite a less than fluent jump at the last in the Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle. “Derek was very happy but it wasn’t a wonderful race on paper, so you would be disappointed if he didn’t do that. I liked what I saw there,” Elliott said. “We’ll get him home and see how he is and make a plan, I think we’ll stick to two miles at the moment. “He has loads of boot and Derek seemed to be fairly happy, and he doesn’t say much, so he looks a good one.” The Listed Haslem Hotel Handicap Hurdle was then won by Magic Tricks and Carl Millar, a two-length triumph at odds of 5-1. “Carl gave him a nice ride, he’s got a chance this young lad. He’s with us a couple of years and he has waited his turn and is working hard,” Elliott said. “He was riding ponies around Dublin two years ago and has come on a long way. He’s going to get plenty of chances. In fairness, he did exactly what we told him to do. “He (Magic Tricks) has had a few problems, but it is great to do that. Cheekpieces might have helped him today. “If he didn’t win today, I was going to go chasing with him, but I don’t know now – we’ll see.” Gerri Colombe obliged in the feature Ladbrokes Champion Chase, after which Elliott scored for a final time on the card as Kennedy and Ash Tree Meadow won a two-runner renewal of the Grade Two racingtv.com/freetrial Chase as the 8-15 favourite. “We didn’t put him in the John Durkan. We will probably give him a break now as he has been in all summer and we will train him back for some of the Grand Nationals next year,” Elliott said. “I could run him in the Grand National (at Aintree) in the spring. We were going to go to the American Grand National with him, but he is a French-bred and couldn’t go with his bloods.” Elliott also sent out two winners at Gowran, taking his tally over the two days to 13. He added: “A great day but, as I said before, I am very lucky with the horses I have and all the staff. I’m delighted for all the owners too.”
